It’s strange to have the word “martial” in your favorite hobby when you’re a non-competitive person like me who actively avoids confrontation. It’s doubly strange when, instead of doing one of the “artsier” martial arts, you end up in a mixed program that borrows heavily from the UFC.

If I asked you to envision a fighter training for a big event, you’ll probably get “Eye of the Tiger” stuck in your head while you flash back to some of the greatest training montages of movie history. One man against his own biggest obstacle — himself — with nothing but grit and an unrelenting coach to guide him.

Maybe that’s the way it has to be for the Dark Knight, but in my experience, the best thing about martial arts, and the thing that constantly pushes me beyond my own limits, is the community. Let me tell you a little about my community, Freestyle’s Intention black belt testing team!

I leveled up twice last week! On Friday I was awarded a stripe on my jiu jitsu blue belt, and on Saturday we completed our black belt pre-test. I performed better than I thought I would, and got in some fun live grappling rounds, too.

Bravery isn’t the lack of fear; it’s being afraid, and continuing despite your fear. At last week’s special workout on the beach at Lake Tahoe, I wasn’t very brave. But my partner Suzi had bravery in spades, with more to spare.